DeltaPlex Arena facts for kids
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| Full name | DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center |
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| Former names | Grand Rapids Stadium Stadium Arena Turner Arena |
| Address | 2500 Turner Avenue |
| Location | Walker, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 43°0′31″N 85°40′54″W / 43.00861°N 85.68167°W |
| Owner | Joel Langlois |
| Capacity | Basketball: 5,000 Concerts: 7,000 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1952 |
| Renovated | 1998 |
| Tenants | |
| Grand Rapids Rockets (IHL) (1952–1956) Grand Rapids Owls (IHL) (1977–1980) Grand Rapids Bearcats/Rockets (NAHL)(1998–2000) Grand Rapids Hoops (CBA) (2001–2003) Grand Rapids Flight (IBL) (2008) West Michigan ThunderHawks (IFL) (2010) Grand Rapids Drive (NBA G League) (2014–present) |
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The DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center is a large building in Walker, Michigan. It can hold 5,000 people for sports events. It's currently the home court for the Grand Rapids Drive. This team plays in the NBA G League, which is like a minor league for professional basketball.
The DeltaPlex was first built in 1952. Since then, it has grown into a big complex for sports, shows, and meetings. The main arena space is huge, about 23,000 square feet. It has a high ceiling, about 52 feet tall. For concerts, it can fit up to 8,000 people. It also has a special portable stage that is 60 by 56 feet. The DeltaPlex Arena is used for many different things. These include sports games, concerts, trade shows, and other special events.
History of the DeltaPlex Arena
The building we know as the DeltaPlex Arena has a long and interesting history. It started out with different names and purposes.
Early Days and Changes
The original building was constructed in 1952. It was first known as the Stadium Arena. The building had a unique arched roof. It used wooden arches instead of steel for support.
Over the years, the arena hosted several sports teams. These included two hockey teams from the IHL (International Hockey League). The Grand Rapids Rockets played there in the 1950s. Later, the Grand Rapids Owls played there until 1980.
The building was also used for other things. In the 1960s and early 1970s, it was a department store called Atlantic Mills. For a short time, it even became a drive-in movie theater. It was called the Stadium Drive-In Theater. The arena's location changed a bit over time. This happened because a nearby road was rebuilt.
New Life and Sports Teams
For many years, the Stadium Arena was the main place for indoor entertainment in the Grand Rapids area. That changed when the Van Andel Arena opened in 1996.
In the mid-1990s, the building was sold to the Langlois Family. They did a lot of work to fix up and remodel the entire place. After all the renovations, it was given a new name: the DeltaPlex.
The DeltaPlex Arena has continued to host many sports teams. It was home to the Grand Rapids Flight basketball team in 2008. They played in the International Basketball League. In 2010, the West Michigan ThunderHawks played their indoor football games there.
Today, the DeltaPlex is the home of the Grand Rapids Drive. This team is part of the Detroit Pistons basketball organization. They play in the NBA G League.
